MPS asthma grant schools will be starting an anti school bus and car idling campaign for asthma awareness month starting May 3rd.
Asthma grant schools will be receiving the book “The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up”
Special signage designed to reduce vehicle idling outside MPS buildings.
Students in some of these schools will also be offering educational materials and incentives to drivers who turn their vehicles off while waiting outside MPS school buildings.
Asthma-Related Training Videos
The following asthma-related training videos were created by and in consultation with members of Wisconsin's AASAjNSBA Leadership Forum for Healthy Students and Healthy Schools team, which includes representation from the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the American Lung Association of Wisconsin. They may be accessed free of charge online at: http://www.wasda.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=8
(1) Asthma in Schools - WASDA Executive Director Miles Turner discusses asthma in schools from a personal perspective and raises general awareness among Wisconsin school district administrators regarding the need for asthma management.
(2) Asthma and the Law - This video is designed for school administrators and staff and includes a brief overview of asthma triggers, symptoms and intervention at school. It also discusses Wisconsin's law regarding the use and possession of inhalers by students with asthma in the school setting. Rachel Gallagher, school nurse consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction presents the information in this video.
(3) Asthma 101: The Basics - This video is designed for elementary and secondary school personnel and focuses on basic asthma education including signs, symptoms and management steps, as well as triggers found in the school environment. Cris Rameker, asthma program manager in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health presents the information in this video.
(4) Counting on You Responding to Kids with Asthma - This video is designed to help teachers and care givers understand the basics of asthma management. For example, participants learn what the disease is; ways to avoid asthma episodes; warning signs of a child in trouble and actions to take in an emergency. Cris Rameker presents the information in this video.
(5) Exercise and Asthma: Helping Students and Athletes to Stay Active - This video is designed to help physical education teachers, athletic coaches and instructors, and any adult who supervises children engaging in physical activity understand and identify what the warning signs and symptoms of an asthma episode are, the necessary precautions, proper asthma management and to recognize the importance of good communication. Cris Rameker presents the information in this video.
(6) Asthma - What you need to know and what you need to do! - This video is intended to give school secretaries basic information regarding asthma and who has asthma and goes on to share the signs, triggers and treatment for asthma in the school setting. Rachel Gallagher presents the information in this video.
Burden of Asthma in Wisconsin - download pdf file Risk Factors Associated with Asthma: There is a difference between what causes someone to have asthma and what triggers asthma attacks and symptoms. The cause of asthma is not fully understood and is probably a combination of inherited factors and environmental triggers. The cause of asthma is likely to differ for each individual, although a positive family history is associated with an increased risk of asthma. We know much more about asthma triggers — the factors that make existing asthma worse or lead to asthma attacks. A growing number of triggers have been identified, including respiratory infections; airborne allergens, such as pollen, animal dander, mold, cockroaches and dust mites; household and workplace chemicals; tobacco smoke; air pollutants; and other factors such as vigorous exercise, cold air and stress.1 Excess body weight is a risk factor for asthma in both children and adults.15,16 Lower education and income levels are also associated with asthma in adults. Obesity:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement used to classify a person’s weight accounting for his/her height. BMI has a strong positive association with the risk of incident asthma, especially among young boys and adult women. Furthermore, obese adults are more likely to have worse asthma outcomes, such as poor asthma control and increased risk of asthma hospitalizations, compared to adults with normal BMIs. Risk Factors Associated - SmokingExposure to environmental tobacco smoke is associated with adverse asthma-related health outcomes.20 Information regarding exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among public middle and high school students was available from the 2008 and 2010 YTS. These data indicated that public middle and high school students who reported living with a smoker also reported a slightly higher lifetime prevalence of asthma
than those who indicated that they did not live with a smoker. Additionally, students who reported spending time during all of the last seven days in the same room with a smoker reported a higher lifetime prevalence of asthma than those who reported spending no time in the last seven days in the same room with a smoker.
ALL - Perfumes and fragrances can trigger mild to severe asthma attacks
In preparing for work every morning many of us use personal care products that have perfumes or fragrances. We use these scents because to us they smell great, but did you know that perfumes and fragrances can trigger mild to severe asthma attacks? In some MPS schools up to 25% of the students have asthma. We all work hard to improve the lives of our students every day and one more thing we can do is to use perfume and cologne sparingly if we use it at all. If you have any questions or need additional information about asthma or asthma triggers please contact Bruce Dryer at dreyerbg@milwaukee.k12.wi.us
AAAAI experts talk about what they would do if faced with a particular medical problem. Watch these videos from Insider Medicine and get tips on how to better manage your allergies and asthma. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/allergy_asthma_videos.asp
View the Asthma Department 
